Day 18 - Hanna to Oyen

115.0 kms - Total so far 1,509.99 kms - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/5079296

• Once again we had an early start leaving around 7 a.m. on an overcast and cool day. The destination for today was Oyen, 117 km away, and our last overnight stay in Alberta. Again, we were informed by fellow campers that it was flat all the way there. Not so as we encountered climb after climb for the first 10 km. They are nothing like in BC, but there is still an incline. There was not much scenery to look at and we figured we would have nothing to report on today. Boy were we wrong!

  

  Home sweet home in Hanna before the luggage explosion

• At the big truck stop EAST of Hanna, we were told by a flagman that we would have to get off the right shoulder of the road and move to the left of the road and ride that shoulder for a while. So we did. After a couple of 100 meters, we stopped and turned around to see a large truck pulling a trailer upon which rested a huge white box. As the truck passed us, we noticed another truck attached to the trailer and pushing from the rear. The load was 24 ft wide (I asked another flagman) and occupied the roadway and the shoulder. Being asked to move to the other side of the road would occur two more times, each time another huge piece of equipment being towed and pushed would drive by us and at speed. 

  

  Don't know what it is but it's 24 feet wide

• This type of activity occured one more time but on the other side of the road (heading WEST). This time we stopped and took pictures.  

A large truck with plus size load

Can you count the number of wheels?

Sometimes pulling is not enough you also have to push

• We stopped for a quick lunch at the Tavern in Cereal. As soon as we sat down the waitress asked us "what we wanted" and surprised we replied "what about a menu". She apoligized and explained that most of the people she serves already know what they want. Once menu in hand, Hélène ordered the 'Home made spring rolls' which she could not get as the waitress did not know how to make them. We had a plate of sweet potato fries. We also chatted with a local guy (formelly from Nepean, Ontario) who gave us all sorts of advice on the village of Oyen and what was open and what was closed. Turns out most of his information was wrong.

  

  Tavern in Cereal

Isn't that the coolest flowerbed eveeeeeeeeeer!!!

When not pedaling, relax 

• We made it to the very new Information Centre (we were told it was closed and had been for years) in Oyen and got all sorts of information on campgrounds in both in Oyen and in Kindersley, Sask. The info on Oyen was bang on and we will have to wait and see for the one in Sask. We stayed quite a while and made use of their WiFi. 

• While we were editing truck pictures and GPS data, another single cyclist pulled up on a loaded bike.  Sheara from Vancouver is cycling by herself from Vancouver to St-John's. She also stopped for lunch at the Tavern in Cereal. I just hope those folks can recover from encountering three spandex wearing cyclists in one day. Turns out that Sheara had been in contact with our friend Millon, who we introduced earlier in the blog. Be safe Sheara and hope to hear from you soon. 

• Millon let us know where you are and tell us about your progress.

• Hélène and I want to thank those of you that have commented on the blog. We get tremendous pleasure in reading your messages and that is usually the first thing we do when we wake at 5:15 a.m. Also there is nothing wrong in letting us know who you are. Merci encore!!

• We leave you with this video of the big truck on our side of the road heading EAST. We were told to move to the otherside of the road. 

71.46 miles - Total so far 938.26 miles